Top 6 Salmon Fishing Techniques

If you're looking for something a little more relaxing or simple, you may want to try float fishing. When float fishing, all you need is a rod with a spinning or bait-casting ­reel, a bobber, and a lure or bait. You can float fish from a stationary boat, a dock or the shoreline.

The key to float fishing is the bobber. The bobber is a floating indicator of whether or not a fish has bitten your bait. The height of your bobber on the line will depend on how deep in the water you'd like to fish. No matter how far you cast out the bobber will float at the surface of the water, and the remainder of the line, with the bait and hook, will sink. Many anglers use small sinkers when fishing with bobbers to ensure that their bait sinks all the way down into the water [Source: Ball].

After you've cast your line, keep an eye on the bobber to tell you when you've got a bite. If the fish is only nibbling on the bait, or even swimming into it, the bobber may bounce up and down or sway from side to side. However, you should wait until the bobber is submerged before you attempt to hook the fish, or you'll likely scare the fish in the area away from your bait. Once you see that the bobber has gone completely under water, jerk your rod back to hook the fish and reel it in [Source: Roberts].

Although float fishing isn't likely to attract larger fish, it does allow you to place your bait wherever you think fish may be swimming. A popular strategy when float fishing is to cast your bait into areas of weeds and lilies, which aren't as accessible when trolling. This strategy is often successful with salmon and many other species of fish.

Feeling organic? Keep reading to find out about fishing with egg sacks.

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Don't Overcook that Chinook!

When preparing a delicious salmon dinner, be sure not to overcook your fish. More than most other fish, salmon are very oily, and overcooking can result in a dense and dry meal [Source: What's Cooking America].